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Retiarius
Retiarius was taken from his home, his family, and his life. He wishes he had died on that battlefield, but his wound was not deep enough to finish him, and he was captured as a prisoner of war. War?! What war? This was not war. This was murder, cold-blooded murder and theft! Retiarius’ people only wished to live in peace, but the greed of the Roman Empire knows no bounds. Retiarius was sent to train as a Gladiator. He was instructed in an eclectic, but effective, fighting style using a net and a trident. He fights just to stay alive; he fights clinging to a desperate hope of someday seeing his wife and child again Summoned to Valhalla, Einar now offers him a new hope: A hope to return home, free from the shackles of slavery, and free from a life of fighting to survive. So Retiarius uses his gladiator training and fights with a new fervency, for hope seems to lie on the horizon. Stats: *Life: 4 *Move: 5 *Range: 1 *Attack: 5 *Defense: 3 *Point Value: 90 Abilities *'Net Trip 14:' After moving and before attacking, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 14 or higher, any small or medium figure attacked by Retiarius this turn may roll no more than 1 die for defense. Synergy *Spartacus: Gladiator Inspiration As a Gladiator, Retiarius may benefit from Spartacus’ Gladiator Inspiration ability. *Capuan Gladiators: Human Gladiator Bonding As a Human Gladiator Hero, Retiarius is compabitible with the Capuan Gladiators' Human Gladiator Bonding ability. *Capuan Gladiators: Initiative Advantage As a Gladiator, Retiarius is compatible with the Capuan Gladiators' Initiative Advantage ability. Behind the Game What most people don't realize is that Retiarius is not a name but actually a type of gladiator. Few people realize that there were in fact many different types of gladiators in ancient Rome. A retiarius (plural retiarii; literally, "net-man" or "net-fighter" in Latin) was a Roman gladiator who fought with equipment styled on that of a fisherman: a weighted net (rete, hence the name), a three-pointed trident (fuscina or tridens), and a dagger (pugio). The retiarius was lightly armoured, wearing an arm guard (manica) and a shoulder guard (galerus). Typically, his clothing consisted only of a loincloth (subligaculum) held in place by a wide belt, or of a short tunic with light padding. He typically wore no head protection or footwear. The retiarius was routinely pitted against a heavily armed secutor. The net-fighter made up for his lack of protective gear by using his speed and agility to avoid his opponent's attacks and waiting for the opportunity to strike. He first tried to throw his net over his rival. If this succeeded, he attacked with his trident while his adversary was entangled. Another tactic was to ensnare his enemy's weapon in the net and pull it out of his grasp, leaving the opponent defenseless. Should the net miss or the secutor grab hold of it, the retiarius likely discarded the weapon, although he might try to collect it back for a second cast. Usually, the retiarius had to rely on his trident and dagger to finish the fight. The trident, as tall as a human being, permitted the gladiator to jab quickly and keep his distance. It was a strong weapon, capable of inflicting piercing wounds on an unprotected skull or limb. The dagger was the retiarius's final backup should the trident be lost. It was reserved for when close combat or a straight wrestling match had to settle the bout. Fights between retiarii and secutores probably became popular as early as the middle of the 1st century CE, and the net-fighter became one of the standard gladiator categories by the 2nd or 3rd century CE and remained a staple attraction until the end of the gladiatorial games.Junkelmann 51, 59–60. In addition to the man-versus-nature symbolism inherent in such bouts,Duncan 206. the lightly armoured retiarius was viewed as the effeminate counterpoint to the manly, heavily armoured secutor. The retiarius was also seen as water to the secutor's fire, one constantly moving and escaping, the other determinedly inescapable.Auguet 78. Strategy A good warrior for 90 points and is a lesser Samurai-Killer. Net Trip is very useful for assassinating warriors with high defense with powerful effects. He is equally useful for squad figures, such as the Sentinels or Minions. Even if Net Trip fails to activate, Retiarius' 5 attack can generally inflict a wound. When Retarius is on the board, he should not be underestimated. He is good at preying on the weak, and has enough strength to do his points worth in damage. When playing him be wary of figures that outclass him, such as Charos or Krug. Just make sure you have range to back him up, or he will fall against high-life figures. References Category:Einar Category:Human Category:Unique Hero Category:Thora's Vengeance